


Selkie!Verse Requests

by Anorlost



Series: Selkieverse!Second Series [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gen, Requests, Selkies, Snow, cuteness, silliness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:11:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anorlost/pseuds/Anorlost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where almost everything is the same...but Hux is a Selkie.  </p><p>Requests I've gotten for oneshots set in this AU!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aurora

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was requested by Fantasy TLOU, who has been very kind and supportive over the last few months. I hope I included everything you mentioned and you like this :)

It was too cold for any of this. 

Kylo fought to assemble the tent.  He could use the Force, but the poles and strings were so delicate that he was afraid he might break them in his frustration.  If that happened there would be no shelter for the night.  They were out on an ice field waiting for some stupid anomaly to happen that was supposed to help him with his training.  It would have all been well and good, but the planet was freezing and their shuttle had crashed during an atmospheric storm.  So now he was stuck in the cold and ice until another shuttle could be sent safely.  Meaning he was left out on an ice field to survive the elements with just a coat, some survival gear…

…and the smug Selkie General. 

 _‘Just dig a hole…’_ came Hux’s thoughts as he yawned, completely bored. 

Kylo had never wanted to punch a baby seal so much in his life. 

Finding he was warmer with his fur and layers of protective blubber, Hux had opted to remain in his seal-skin, allowing Kylo to have the extra heating packs and coat if he wanted it.  Kylo was certain his Master sent the General along with him because his instincts would help them survive in the arctic environment, but when it became clear that Hux was just going to lie there and boss him around, Kylo became annoyed. 

“Here’s an idea, why not turn into something with opposable thumbs and help me?” snapped Kylo, driving a spike into the ice for what had to be the sixth time.  How did it keep coming loose. 

 _‘You seemed happy enough to have my heating packs and coat,’_ noted Hux, _‘Besides, holes are better.  Snow is actually an excellent insulator.  Just take your lightsaber and carve out a hole.”_

“That’s not what my lightsaber is for!” exclaimed Kylo. 

 _‘We don’t have any power and the standard drill isn’t deep enough to suit our purposes.  You have a tool, so use it,’_ instructed Hux, _‘Or keep struggling with the tent.  It doesn’t really matter to me.  I can keep myself warm.’_

At this point Kylo knew he was just doing this to serve his ego.  He didn’t want Hux to be right.  He didn’t want to have spent almost an hour trying to put out a tent, probably getting frost bite, just for Hux to know a quicker, easier way to do things.  Couldn’t he have this?  Just this one thing?  He had the Force and he was physically strong, but it always felt like he was just the dumb muscle, the enforcer, not an equal.  And Hux was still just a juvenile Selkie!  He was constantly being out-thought by someone who may as well have been a child. 

“I can do this…” growled Kylo, “I just need to get these spikes to stay in the ground.” 

 _‘That tent isn’t even winter weight.  It might cut the wind, but you’ll still freeze…’_ Hux thought to himself.  He looked out over the ice, his mind shifting to thoughts about where the ice might be thin so he could try hunting.  Where there was ice there was water, and where there was water there was bound to be a tasty fish. 

“I can do this…” Kylo repeated, “I’ve done this plenty of times.  I know what I’m doing.” 

 _‘Suit yourself.  And when you die of exposure I’ll concentrate hard on these memories so the Supreme Leader will know that I at least tried to talk some sense into you,’_ Hux’s thoughts grumbled. 

“I can do this!” shouted Kylo, throwing his spikes and hammer on the ground, “Why don’t you make yourself useful instead of just lying there and criticising me!?” 

 _‘Very well,’_ Hux affirmed before flopping his way across the ice. 

Kylo glared after him as he left.  He groaned as he started to pick up his materials.  He could use these tents just fine when he was on other planets.  Was Hux right?  Was it just not built for an arctic environment?  He was probably right, just like he was right about a lot of things.  They tended to work together but it seemed like Hux always did the bulk of the thinking.  Being capable of holding his own on top of that and not really needing much protecting, it made Kylo feel like he was just there to move obstacles and use the Force. 

He glared down at the tent parts.  Hux was right.  He should dig a shelter in the ice.  It was the smart thing to do.  He had just been so determined to prove that he was every bit as capable as Hux he had ignored everything someone who was an expert on arctic survival was advising him to do.  He sighed and kicked everything away with his foot and glared at the crash site.  It seemed he was always breaking things, even when he didn’t actually mean to.  He did his best, and yet things always seemed to go wrong or get setback.  He couldn’t recall a mission that had gone perfectly smoothly.  Somehow, something always went horribly wrong. 

He pulled out his lightsaber.  It wasn’t a good use for it.  It was a religious weapon, a symbol of his chosen affiliation and knighthood, but there was nothing else to use.  The little drill in the survival kits was meant for drilling small holes in the ice for fishing and getting drinking water.  If Kylo wanted a hole big enough to barely accommodate him he would be stuck out on the ice drilling for hours.  The quickest, most efficient way to get warm while keeping himself as healthy as he could was to carve a hole out with his lightsaber and lift the excess snow away with the Force. 

He swallowed his pride and pulled out the blade, igniting it.  He hated being wrong.  He hated that Hux always seemed to be right and good at so many things.  He took his frustration out on the snow as he drove the saber into the ice all the way to the hilt.  It cut through and the ice hissed as it instantaneously evaporated upon coming into contact with the plasma blade.  It took some time, carving, hacking, lifting chunks away, but eventually he had dug a hole that came up to his chest and that he could curl up comfortably in.  He could probably cover it with the tent’s tarp as well to keep the warm air from escaping. 

He finished setting up the shelter and sat down.  It was surprisingly warm.  Not pleasantly so, but it was a lot better than standing on the surface of the ice out in the wind.  He had placed all of the important items on the ground.  A tarp to lie on, sleeping bags, a lantern, the distress beacon, and plenty of heating packs to line his clothing with.  He put Hux’s large jacket on overtop of his own and settled into his hole.  It was much cozier than he thought it would be with the tarp and sleeping bags on the ground underneath him.  He supposed resting after so much physical activity helped a little bit with that, but the shelter itself actually felt quite comforting. 

He heard something crunching against the snow and did not quite recognize it as the noise Hux made when he flopped and dragged himself across the ice.  He stood and lifted the tent cover and saw Hux pulling a fish towards him.  He scanned the Selkie’s thoughts. 

_‘I brought him dinner.  Why isn’t he answering me?  Is he angry?  I was just doing what I was told to.  Ren, I brought you dinner.  Are you listening?  Ren?  Ren?  Is he ignoring me?  Why would he-’_

“I can hear you, I’m just tired,” said Kylo, surprised to hear that Hux’s thoughts weren’t mocking.  They were anxious, almost desperate for some sort of approval.  Was that how he thought when he was sure nobody was listening in on them? 

 _‘Well, I’ll stay up here until I’m dry.  You might want to come up as well, unless you want the place to smell like fish.  I don’t mind it, but it makes me hungry,’_ Hux called out flippantly as he left the fish by the shelter.

Kylo looked at the dead fish’s cloudy eyes and sighed, “You didn’t have to.  I have rations.” 

 _‘It’s best to use them sparingly, I find.  We don’t know how long we’ll be down here,’_ replied Hux. 

He was right, again.  Kylo pulled himself out of the shelter and looked down at Hux.  He was in a slightly better mood now that he had his shelter constructed.  Kylo was still frustrated, but he was in a good enough mood to find Hux’s seal form cute again.  In fact, he found himself needing to fight the urge to pick him up like a large plush toy and snuggle the General until all his frustration went away.  Hux liked feeling like he was being groomed, since he rarely got to be around other seals, never mind other Selkies, so it wasn’t as if Hux got nothing out of the arrangement. 

 _‘You know how to set up the stove?’_ inquired Hux. 

“Yes, so I don’t want anymore backseat piloting from you,” warned Kylo, “I know what I’m doing.” 

 _‘I was brought here to give you advice,’_ Hux thought with an indignant yip, _‘I had other things I could have been doing.  If you didn’t want me here you ought to have said so.’_

Kylo retrieved the stove from the box of emergency supplies, “It’s not that I don’t want your advice, I just…I make plans and build things too.  I don’t always need you to tell me how to do things.” 

 _‘Well it’s sounding an awful lot like you don’t want me around,’_ retorted Hux, _‘You brought me here to do my job.  I’m just trying to do it as best I can.’_

“I’m not saying I don’t need you, I just don’t need you for every little thing.  You don’t have to act like I’m helpless,” said Kylo. 

 _‘Well you’re acting like a child,’_ Hux’s thoughts groaned out. 

He flipped onto his back and rolled around on the ice, as if giving himself a back-scratch.  Kylo rolled his eyes and set up the stove.  It had been a while since he used one, but he remembered how.  But was it…turn on the spark first or turn on the gas first?  Gas, probably.  If he light the spark first there would be nothing for it to ignite.  Obviously gas.  Gas definitely came first. 

 _‘Ren…’_ called Hux. 

“I can do this.  You just keep yourself out of the way so you don’t get burnt,” said Kylo, turning on the gas valve. 

_‘Ren, I really think you should-’_

“Hux, I’m not an idiot!  I can cook a fish all by my-”

Kylo ignited the spark and there was a small explosion.  All of the gas that had left the valve caught fire at once and caused a large column of flame to shoot out of the stove.  Kylo felt his face get smacked by the heat as he stumbled back.  His face felt hot.  Even far from the flame he felt hot.  And his forehead felt strangely… 

Kylo ran a hand over his face and felt little resistance or difference in texture just above his eyes.  He took off his glove and felt smooth skin just above his eyes. 

His eyebrows were gone. 

Hux looked over at the stove, _‘Well…you did light the burner.’_

“I’m going to bed,” growled Kylo, stalking towards his shelter. 

_‘But it’s still dayli-’_

“I’m going to bed!” he repeated, pulling back the tarp and sliding back in. 

   ***  

He stayed on his cot for a long time.  He didn’t bother checking the time, content to lie in his sleeping bag and sulk until his frustration and embarrassment went away by themselves.  He couldn’t believe he had done something so stupid.  All he wanted to do was prove that he could do something right.  All in the same mission he crashed the shuttle, wasted time trying to put up a useless shelter, and burned off his own eyebrows.  He wasn’t always this clumsy or incompetent.  There were a lot of things he was very good at, but having made so many mistakes in a row while Hux just seemed to breeze through this was so frustrating. 

He did get up when he heard a sudden thud and a thought so loud that it broke him out of his funk. 

_‘Ow!’_

Kylo turned, now sitting upright and saw Hux lying on the ground.  He looked up at realized that he hadn’t thought to ask Hux if he needed to be lifted down.  In his seal form he was so much smaller than he usually was. 

“Oh, shit, Hux I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to leave you up there!” exclaimed Kylo, getting out of the sleeping bag, “Are you okay!?” 

 _‘Fine, just…didn’t expect it to be so deep,’_ explained Hux.  He seemed to be biting back whimpers as he moved about. 

“Are you…nothing feels broken, does it?” asked Kylo. 

 _‘Might be a bit bruised, but this form can withstand more physical strain than my human form.  I’ll be fine,’_ said Hux, though Kylo could sense him fronting.  Nothing seemed broken, but the fall had stung, a lot. 

Kylo opened his sleeping bag, “Hey, come here a minute.  I could use you here…help retain body heat.” 

 _‘Of course.  I was going to suggest it.  You’ll want to preserve your heating packs,’_ Hux’s thoughts continued. 

Kylo wasn’t sure if seals could limp, or what it looked like when they did, but Hux was moving a lot slower.  The little Selkie settled in next to him and heaved a sigh when he stopped moving.  Kylo ran a hand down his back, scratching slightly as his hand trailed down.  He really didn’t mean for this to happen, but he expected that Hux would call if he needed something like this.  Kylo would have helped him if he started thinking loudly, yipping or whining. 

“Why didn’t you call?” asked Kylo. 

 _‘I didn’t want to bother you.  You seemed to be in a bit of a mood,’_ observed Hux. 

He sighed and kept running a hand over the Selkie’s back, “I’m not sure if this will work as effectively with you.  But I know some healing techniques.” 

 _‘If you want to use them you can,’_ Hux projected, while a stifled instinctive, needy part of his mind cried out, _‘Gods, yes, it hurts so bad!’_

“Okay, hold on,” said Kylo, concentrating his power into his hand. 

He ran his hand down Hux’s back, trying to find all the places that hurt the most.  Hux’s body responded almost immediately, going limp and pliant, allowing the Force to flow through him.  Kylo quickly found the area that took the brunt of the fall, his right side.  He must have been leaning in, trying to find the bottom when he slipped and fell.  He was lucky he had not landed on a flipper and broken it.  Kylo rested his hand on Hux’s side and concentrated on it.  The bruising, the pain.  It was easier with humans because he had studied a little bit of human anatomy, so he knew where all the muscles were, which made it easier to focus.  He’d never actually healed an animal before. 

He tried anyways.  Even though Hux had acted of his own accord, deciding to try to climb down instead of calling for help, Kylo couldn’t help but think this was somehow his fault.  He could fix it though.  He could do this right.  When it came to using the Force he was usually right. 

“Feeling any better?” asked Kylo. 

Hux let out an affirmative noise, something between a whine and a growl.  Kylo doubted he was capable of making noises with much nuance in them.  It sounded like a positive sound though, so he continued.  After a few minutes the intensity of the pain subsided. 

 _‘That’s enough, I’m alright now,’_ instructed Hux. 

Kylo pulled his hand back and was surprised when Hux cuddled up against him.  Perhaps he was serious about sharing body heat.  The Selkie added mentally, _‘You forgot your fish…I may have nibbled on it.  Shame to waste good fish.’_

“I suppose it is,” agreed Kylo, “Though I don’t think it’ll go bad, given how cold it is.” 

 _‘How’s your face?  You didn’t hurt yourself too badly?’_ asked Hux. 

“It’s mostly cosmetic.  I wear a mask most of the time, so nobody should notice,” said Kylo before he grimaced, “Except my Master…” 

 _‘I don’t think the Supreme Leader cares about your eyebrows,’_ argued Hux. 

“I care about people seeing them though,” groaned Kylo.  He supposed that it would be a few weeks until they grew back fully, and they would probably itch a lot until they came back in. 

 _‘I really don’t know what I did to upset you this time…’_  Hux’s thought’s repeated. 

“It wasn’t you I was…just frustrated with myself.  Everything was going wrong and I thought if I did something right that it would fix everything…” muttered Kylo, “You were right, again.  I was being childish.” 

 _‘I don’t necessarily like being right all the time…I have some natural abilities because of what I am, but I worked very hard to gain the knowledge and skills that I have.  Instead of resenting me like everyone else, you should concentrate on learning from these experiences and working harder,’_ advised Hux. 

“I guess being smart and bossy must have gotten you a bit of a reputation, hm?” asked Kylo, scratching at Hux’s neck. 

The Selkie started wriggling his arm and let out a pleased whine, _‘I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.  Of course I’m going to give out orders.’_

“Hold on…” said Kylo, stilling his hand, “Can you sense that?” 

 _‘Sense what?’_ asked Hux, sniffing at the air, _‘Predators?  Bad weather?  Danger?’_

“It’s…it’s the Force it’s…it feels like an explosion.  In a good way.  Like watching fireworks,” said Kylo, sitting up and throwing back the cover of the sleeping bag. 

He stood and lifted the tent cover and was greeted by the most dazzling light he had ever seen. 

He quickly ducked down and gathered Hux up in his arms, “Come on, you’ve got to see this!” 

 _‘Ren!?  What are you doing!?’_ demanded Hux as he yipped indignantly. 

Kylo threw back the cover and set Hux back on the surface of the ice.  He looked up and saw every colour in the universe covering the sky.  It was like aurora borealis, lights often seen on Ice and Tundra Planets but so much more vibrant.  It was like something from another world, another reality flashing in front of them and the Force…Kylo could feel it surging through him.  The pure, raw power of it as it seemed to drift in colours across the sky.  He stared at it in awe before Hux turned to him and said,

_‘Ren…I don’t see anything.  What exactly am I looking at?’_

He couldn’t see it?  Perhaps Force-Nulls were incapable of seeing it as well as sensing it.  Still, he wanted Hux to see it.  Wanted him to witness it.  It was something so amazing, so wonderful that it felt almost blasphemous to keep it all to himself. 

He put a hand on Hux’s head, “I’m going to put some images into your mind.” 

 _‘What!?  No!  I don’t want you doing anything to my head!’_ protested Hux. 

“Relax.  This is the only way you can see it.  I promise I won’t do anything.  You let me use the Force on you earlier, and you let me scan your thoughts so we can talk.  Trust me, this is amazing,” assured Kylo. 

 _‘It’s different but…alright.  I suppose if you were going to do something to me, you would have done it by now…’_ Hux’s thoughts relented hesitantly. 

Kylo implanted the sights he was seeing into Hux’s mind.  Immediately Hux gasped as he looked up into the sky.  He seemed to shiver under Kylo’s touch.  Why shouldn’t he.  It was incredible.  The Force moving so strong that it could be seen flowing across the sky. 

“Worth it?” asked Kylo. 

 _‘Very much so…’_ replied Hux. 


	2. Babies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is from Murasaki99 who also asked for this AGES ago. Kylo with a puppy pile of Hux's babies. How is Kylo still alive with Hux's long Selkie lifespan? Um...uh...oh look, babies! 
> 
> Merry Christmas Murasaki!!!

As the Emperor’s ‘Hound’ Kylo Ren had many duties.  Staying alert and watching for assassins, leading armies, going on secret missions, remaining present as a symbol of power at diplomatic functions, but out of all of them, this duty was his favorite.  Some might have found it insulting, climbing so high to the top of the Empire only to be used as a baby sitter for the Emperor’s litter of pups, but it was by far Kylo’s favorite part of his job. 

Hux didn’t have a consort.  Not a traditional one at any rate.  His Selkie heritage required something a little different.  Apparently, Hux had the instinctive urge to ‘mate’ as he put it, and then leave.  To Kylo it had sounded cold, but Hux wasn’t exactly human.  There were other species that did the same sort of thing.  A male impregnating a female, or a female leaving the male with an egg or infant, and then going away for a long period of time.  For Hux, remaining with a spouse or ‘mate’ made about as much sense as letting Gun-Guns run his army.  It seemed the Selkie just couldn’t quantify the idea of living with a spouse forever. 

It seemed this arrangement was just as well for Hux’s Empress.  She lived on a quiet planet in a peaceful corner of the Galaxy.  She hated social functions and the public eye.  Her stipulations upon being given an offer of marriage by the Emperor were that she be allowed to live by herself, quite alone, and kept away from journalists, paparazzi and other nuisances.  She was more than happy to accommodate Hux’s desire for distance between them. 

Children had complicated the arrangement slightly.  Selkies, it seemed, despite wanting distance between themselves and their mates, were very attached to their children.  In all the reading Kylo had done, he found Selkies usually returned to the land to bring their offspring back with them to the sea.  Hux had a similar feelings it seemed, and wanted his children with him at court when they were old enough.  His wife, understandably, wanted time with her children as well, and wanted them to have a proper childhood out of the public eye. 

There had been some arguing, but an arrangement had been made.  For certain standard months the children would visit their father, but they were still just pups, and would be pups for some time.  They needed their mother, so Hux consented to allowing them to stay with his wife on her estate for the majority of the year.  When the children were grown, they would re-evaluate the agreement. 

When they were visiting their father though, Kylo always got a chance to play with them.  He didn’t remember Hux being as small as they were, but they all had the same white fur, and some were beginning to get little orange flecks on their fur. 

He treaded water as five large sets of eyes looked back at him, five sets of whiskers twitching on five little noses.  All boys it seemed, Conlaoch, the eldest, Ferdiad the middle child, and triplets Oisin, Lugh and Aiden.  It was still hard to tell the three of them apart, but the boys were quick to correct him.  Kylo supposed they weren’t old enough to get mischievous and try to play a trick on him.  If it came to that though, the Force could always be used to check for lies.  He wouldn’t have been a very good hound if a trio of four year olds could get the better of him. 

Of course, having the same arrangement with him as their father, Kylo skimmed through surface thoughts, and it was easy to tell the five boys apart.  Conlaoch, now nine, and fancying himself the leader of the siblings, tried to lead them in a game, _‘Come on, let’s play tag!’_

‘But you’re the biggest and you always win!’ complained Oisin, head butting his brother. 

 _‘I like tag,’_ protested Aiden. 

 _‘But we always play tag…’_ groaned Ferdiad, ‘And it’s no fun in a pool.  There’s nothing to hide behind.’ 

 _‘We could play ball,’_ suggested Lugh. 

 _‘That sounds better,’_ agreed Oisin. 

 _‘I wanted to play tag…’_ Aiden thought with a whimper.

 _‘We’ll play that later,’_ sighed Conlaoch, giving in.  He swam up to Kylo, _‘Can we play with the ball today.’_

“Alright,” said Kylo stretching out his hand and summoning the ball to his hand with the Force.  He tossed it up in the air, “Go nuts.” 

As soon as the ball was in the air, all Kylo could hear was a whirl of eager thoughts as the little Selkies swam after it.  There was really no objective to their playing ball.  There were no points and there really wasn’t a winner or loser, though they each had their own ideas as to how the game ought to be played.  Conlaoch thought the best players ought to be able to balance the ball on their nose the longest, which made him the best.  Lugh and Oisin seemed to think it was a game about passing the ball back and forth and if the ball was passed to someone a lot that meant they were good at the game.  Aiden thought it was about giving the ball to someone else, so he tried to get rid of it as soon as it was passed to him, and Ferdiad thought the object of the game was to send it the farthest. 

In any case though, being children, it didn’t really take them long to get bored of the ball.  That was when Kylo would usually suggest his own favorite game. 

“I don’t suppose cannonball is a game that any of you would ever want to play,” said Kylo, pretending to be bored. 

 _‘Cannonball!?’_ Five minds chorused. 

 _‘Me first!’_ called Oisin, swimming up to Kylo, _‘Toss me first!’_

Kylo picked up the little Selkie and held him in his arms, “Alright?  Are you ready?” 

 _‘Yes!’_ came the eager reply. 

“Okay.  One…” began Kylo, rocking back and forth slightly as he got ready for his throw.  “Two…” he said with another little rock.  “And…Three!” 

There was a flurry of excited thoughts as he tossed the little Selkie into the deep end of the pool.  For the moments Oisin was in the air he felt excitement, a thrilling rush before he entered the water, still riding on the force of the throw.  He resurfaced and his first thought was, _‘Again!’_

“Your brothers all get a turn before you can go again,” said Kylo, “So who’s next?” 

 _‘Me!_ ’ four minds called out. 

“What are you doing, Ren!?” 

Kylo turned and saw the Emperor approaching fast.  He looked livid, which was really nothing new.  For as long as Kylo had known Hux, the Selkie had allowed himself to show more than a little anger when the two of them were alone.  Hux was snarling, reaching into his mouth and pulling out his false teeth to show off a full set of fangs.  Kylo paused, Hux must have been serious.  He rarely removed his teeth outside of his private chambers. 

Kylo also felt five other presences begin to shrink back.  The relationship that the children had with their father was strained.  They didn’t hate him, but their father’s house had more rules and less places to play.  They were always being told to be careful, to wear those awful fake teeth, to carefully hide their seal skins, and there were always strangers trying to talk to them or take pictures of them if they tried to go anywhere.  They also saw their father considerably less than their mother, and unfortunately the absence didn’t do much to build fondness. 

Hux couldn’t sense this though and stood on the edge of the pool, livid, concern pouring off of him by the bucketful as he shouted, “Were you _throwing_ my pups!?” 

“What?  They like it,” said Kylo with a shrug, picking up Aiden. 

“No, out of the question,” snapped Hux, crouching close to the water, “That’s a dangerous game and someone could get hurt.”  He looked around the pool area, picking up another ball, “Here, this should be fine.  Why don’t you all play with this?” 

Hux couldn’t hear Conloach’s thoughts, but the whimper he made was enough to betray annoyance, _‘But we already played with the ball…’_  

“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” said Hux sternly, tossing the ball into the water, “Look, if you play that game, someone could get hurt.  You could bash your head against the side of the pool and drown.”

 _‘We could!?’_ Aiden’s thoughts exclaimed as he began trying to shove himself away from Kylo. 

“Hux, you’re scaring the kids,” said Kylo, getting Aiden back into the water before he started biting or scratching. 

“Good!  Maybe then they’ll think twice before doing something that could get themselves hurt,” replied Hux, continuing his lecture.  He rose and replaced his teeth, “Make sure they’re all properly dried and dressed and they pack up their skins neatly.” 

“Or you could do it yourself…” said Kylo accusingly. 

He had seen this before.  Well-meaning parents with high expectations and strict rules who loved their children, but didn’t make time for them.  It was impossible for Kylo to doubt that Hux loved his children.  With his empathic abilities it was impossible for Kylo to ignore those feelings coming off of Hux.  The problem was that his children couldn’t sense them.  All they had to judge Hux by were his actions, and from what they saw and experienced, their father’s house wasn’t fun and their father told them ‘no’ all the time.  In fairness, Hux didn’t seem to know how to express affection, but he didn’t say or do anything to indicate that his children were anything more to him than a nuisance. 

Hux looked Kylo over and glared.  There was a part of him that wanted to give into his instincts and join them, and the urge was a strong one, but there were also thoughts about work.  How much there was to be done.  Thoughts about meetings and appointments.  He had already scheduled time to spend with his children, and had been trying to plan activities they would enjoy, but Kylo could tell that Hux was having a hard time with that.  He hadn’t had a normal childhood and only had a vague understanding of what children liked to do. 

“Why not join in?  You’ve got your skin with you, right?” asked Kylo, gesturing to the cloak Hux wore. 

The cloak had been modified with a large pouch.  Unless someone managed to wrench it off of Hux and pull the liner off, they wouldn’t be able to find that there was a Selkie skin carefully concealed in the cloak.  It had been Hux’s idea.  He hated parting with it and locking it up.  He felt better if he could feel behind himself and know that it was there.  He always kept it with him.  Hux fingered along the edge of the trim and stayed silent. 

“Haven’t gotten rusty have you?  I haven’t seen you swim for a while,” said Kylo reaching out and scratching a little Selkie on the head, “You used to be a good swimmer, you even outswam that sea monster once.” 

The children all turned their heads.  Ferdiad looked up at his father and Kylo could hear his thoughts ask, _‘Did he really?’_  

“Yeah, he did, and he wasn’t much bigger than any of you.  Your dad could probably tell you guys some pretty crazy stories,” continued Kylo. 

“Kylo, I can’t do this right now,” said Hux, “If they want stories I can tell them one later before they go to bed.” 

“Or you can stay,” said Kylo, sending out mentally, _‘You’ve been wanting to figure out what they want.  This is it.  Just come in and spend some time with them.’_

Hux heaved a sigh and took his cloak off, opening the large pouch and carefully pulling out his fur.  It had darkened considerably with age, and it had grown.  It was a sleek skin, a charcoal grey sort of colour with little copper rings on it.  Kylo supposed eventually all of the little Selkies would grow up to be that size and colour.  Hux gave them all a stern look, “I can spare half an hour before my security detail starts to rip this place apart looking for me.” 

It didn’t take Hux long to shed his clothes and remove his teeth again.  As he entered the water it was easy to see how much he had grown.  Kylo had thought he had been joking when he said that when he was grown, Hux would be able to crush him.  It hadn’t been a joke.  Hux was easily just as big as he was, and incredibly heavy.  It had been a long time since Kylo had been able to lift Hux in his seal form, and next to his children, he seemed massive. 

Lugh was the first to swim alongside his father.  Hux swam at a lazy pace, pausing to groom his pup for a moment.  They seemed to have their own way of communicating, and though Kylo could sense all of their thoughts, he hadn’t quite figured out the finer points of the Selkies’ silent methods of communication.  Every little twitch and movement seemed to mean something, but Kylo couldn’t figure it all out, even with the ability to see surface thoughts.  He wondered how other people managed to do it, watch a creature or listen to another language and manage to just figure it out.  Without the Force he would have been lost. 

The children seemed uncertain around their father though, their thoughts worrying about how he would react to being talked to and what he might think of them.  Hux didn’t frighten his children, but they found him imposing.  Being used to their mother doting on them, they found their father to be a stern and severe figure.  Hux didn’t seem to have any idea how to be anything but strict though.  He had a few paternal instincts, mostly to do with protecting his offspring, but he didn’t know how to be tender with children.  He’d never known anything but discipline and harshness all his life, so he really didn’t know where to start with his own children. 

Kylo could sense one thing for certain though, Hux cared about his children.  Even if they weren’t at the front of his mind, Kylo never needed to probe deep to find the five of them in Hux’s thoughts.  Hux just didn’t know how to go about showing that care though. 

Hux groomed each of his children in turn, still swimming in lazy circles.  Ferdiad was the one to finally swim to his father and ask, _“So, did you really outswim a seamonster?”_

 _“Once, a long time ago,”_ replied Hux. 

 _“Are you still that fast?”_ asked Conlaoch. 

Hux gave his sons what appeared to be an irate look before breaking away from them and submerging himself.  Kylo nearly lost sight of Hux as he took off.  In addition to getting bigger, Hux had gotten faster and stronger.  While Kylo was confident he could still outmuscle Hux in his human form, when he slipped into his seal skin and transformed, there was no contest between them.  If they ever got into a fight, Kylo could only hope that there was no water around for Hux to change his shape in. 

Hux lapped the pool, quicker than Kylo had ever seen him swim, before Hux returned to his lazy movements and drifted through the water listlessly, _‘Fast enough for you?’_  

 _‘But what about the seamonster?’_ asked Aiden, _‘What happened?’_

Hux looked over at Kylo, _‘He tells it better.’_

That wasn’t really the point though, and Kylo could sense the disappointment coming off of the young Selkies. 

 _‘They want to hear it from you,’_ insisted Kylo. 

 _‘I don’t tell stories very well,_ ’ replied Hux, wracking his brain for a time he had to recount a story like this. 

 _‘It doesn’t matter.  You’re their father, tell them a story,’_ Kylo shot back. 

Hux yawned and twitched his nose.  It wasn’t quite as cute as when he had been little, but it was still something that Kylo had trouble associating with Hux.  The grown Selkie looked over his brood, _‘Ren and I had been sent on a mission to recover an artifact on an ocean planet.’_

_‘When you were a General, right?’_

_‘What’s an artifact?’_

_‘Which planet?’_

_‘Was it far away?’_

_‘How many sea monsters were there?’_

_‘Hold on, hold on,’_ said Hux, slapping the water to get their attention, _‘One at a time now.  Yes, I was a General then, an artifact is an old object from a very long time ago, the planet was called Neru, it was very far away, and as I recall there was only one sea monster.  Now I don’t want any more interuptions.  If you want me to tell this story the five of you have to listen.’_

The five pups stilled and swam close by, trying to show that they were going to be quiet and well behaved.  Hux sighed, _‘Where was I?  Right, we were sent to retrieve the artifact.  We hired a ship to bring us out to the sight of a sunken ship where the item in question had been lost…’_

   ***  

Despite being busy, Hux did his best not to miss bedtime.  He tried to take the time to, albeit awkwardly, tuck his children into bed, though Conlaoch was getting to the age where he was beginning to insist that he was too big to be tucked in.  Hux tried his best to seem interested when the triplets told him about the rock they had found in the garden that day, but Kylo could tell it was difficult.  He simply didn’t have any idea how to be a parent.  He had no model to work from.  Even discounting Hux’s own parents, the families Kylo saw at court were hardly the picture of stability. 

“It sounds like a…nice rock,” said Hux, struggling to find something complimentary to say about something he really didn’t care about. 

“It was the biggest juiciest rock,” said Aiden. 

“There were worms in it,” added Oisin. 

“That’s wonderful…” replied Hux. 

“And then we buried it near the roses,” said Lugh. 

Hux seized each of the triplet’s hands in turn before letting out a scowling sigh that sounded relieved but didn’t show it.  Hux looked down at them sternly, “I warned you about the roses.  I don’t want you cutting your hands.  Now, everyone’s ready for bed?  Nobody needs water or the bathroom or anything else?” 

“No,” said Ferdiad, turning onto his side and settling into bed. 

“Right, good night then,” said Hux. 

“Mama kisses me before bed,” said Aiden. 

Hux paused and looked down at the child, cocking his brow.  Aiden sat up, “She kisses us good night and stays until we fall asleep.” 

The second part of the statement seemed to bother Hux a little.  Kylo could sense he had been expecting to go, to get some work done before turning in himself.  Kylo looked over at him, “I’ll stay if you will.” 

“Ren…” said Hux hesitantly, not able to decide whether he really wanted to go or not. 

“I’ll be with you, so security shouldn’t worry,” said Kylo. 

Hux scowled, “That’s just it.  Some people have been saying we’ve been spending one too many nights together. 

“What’s wrong with that?” asked Conlaoch. 

Hux glared at Kylo before laying back on the bed, “Now look what you’ve got them asking me.  Boys, tell your uncle that your father says he’s a moron.” 

Lugh looked at Kylo, “Dad says you’re a moron.” 

“I heard him, don’t worry,” said Kylo, settling in on the other side of the bed, “Tell him he’s a good dad.  He tries really hard.” 

Oisin turned to look at his father, “You’re a good dad.” 

Hux seemed taken aback by that.  A strange look crossed his face, like he might start crying at the words.  It vanished almost as soon as it came as he settled into the bed, the children crowded between himself and Kylo.  He sighed peacefully as he nuzzled Oisin, giving his pup a light scratch behind the ear as he lay next to them, “I’ll keep trying to be a better one.” 


	3. Childhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for everyone who's requested Hux smacking Snoke.

Hux swam as quickly as he could through the pool.The only time he ever got to swim was when his father said he could.Usually he was asked to swim in circles; as many as he could, as fast as he could, and he was to come out immediately when he heard an alarm sound through the water.If he didn’t come out…it was for the best that he came out when the signal sounded.

He’d stopped counting the laps of the pool that he made.He had at first, the first few times he had done it.But when he had counted, he found he got more anxious when he completed his usual number of laps and no alarm sounded for him to finish.In time he realized that he was just meant to swim as hard as he could for as long as his father wanted.It got him worried sometimes.What if he became tired before then?What if he swam so hard he got sick?How would his father react?

Thankfully the alarm sounded.Hux slowed his pace and swam to the exit point, leaping back onto the poolside and sliding slightly.He used to try to come out fast, sliding across the pool deck on his stomach, but…it was for the best that he stopped doing something so childish.

He bit down on his fur.He wasn’t sure how he knew how his transformation worked, but he’d always been able to do it on instinct.Even when his mother hadn’t been there to show him, he knew how to get his second skin on and off with ease.He bit deep and the skin released him, allowing him to become human again.Instinctively, Hux began drying himself off with the skin.

“Put your clothes on, boy!”

Hux jumped and stopped his little ritual, looking around frantically for where he had left his clothes and those awful false teeth.He didn’t like them.He was always worried that they were going to fall out when he was eating.He spotted his clothes and dashed to get them and put them on.He didn’t see why he needed them, or why anyone needed them for that matter.The facility where he lived was climate controlled, so nobody needed extra layers for warmth.For some strange reason though, everyone had to wear them, and they got very angry if they were seen without them, or if Hux preferred to be naked.Even if he was in his own room, he would sometimes receive messages asking if he was wearing clothes.If he wasn’t, he was instructed to put them on.

He pulled his shirt on over his head, then his underwear and pants, hearing his father’s voice as he spoke to a visitor.He was a strange man, and he frightened Hux.He had a strange smell that made him think of danger.He was taller than everyone else, and very thin.His face looked squashed a little bit on one side, with scars and black eyes.Hux didn’t like him.Something inside his stomach was telling him not to go anywhere near that man.

His father often spoke as if Hux couldn’t hear him, but it was impossible not to hear.Hux had discovered fairly quickly that he could hear and see better than other people.He could also smell better than them too.

“With heightened strength and endurance, as well as hunting instincts, he’ll make a formidable tracker,” his father explained.Hux liked that.Even if his father never said anything nice to him, sometimes he heard comments like that being said to other people.

However, he didn’t like it at all when his father said, “When he’s matured by human standards, he can be taken from the facility.”

Hux started and looked up at his father, approaching slightly.Matured by human standards?He was about six years old so…ten years maybe?In ten years this man would come and take him away.He didn’t want to be taken away.The man smelled strange.He felt dangerous.Hux stumbled forward, panting slightly from the exertion of his swimming.He clutched his skin closely, having folded it neatly into a little bundle.

“He’ll be trained to abandon any childish behaviour.He can blend in with other humans, but his abilities should make him a valuable asset,” continued his father.

Hux moved closer.He knew he shouldn’t talk back.If he talked back his father would…it was for the best that he didn’t talk back.Still, this was important.He was scared.He didn’t want to go with the man.He spoke quietly, “Commandant, I don’t want to go…”

His father turned and glared down at him, causing Hux to take a step back.He looked up, frightened, choking back all the scared feeling building in his throat as he said, “…I want to stay with you…”

His father looked at the man in black robes, “I promise this cowardice will be eliminated within ten years’ time.”

“Daddy, no,” said Hux, rushing back in closer and taking hold of his father’s pant leg, “No!I want to stay with you!I’ll be good!”

Hux let out a yelp as he was gripped by the face and shoved away.He heard a voice growling at him, “You’re not to call me that.Give me that pelt.”

Hux felt tears filling his eyes as he held it up.He hated having it taken away, but his father was the one who kept it.That had always been the rule.He seized it and unfolded it, gripping it in his hands as if he meant to rip it clean in half.The sight itself was enough to make Hux burst into tears and start apologizing as quickly as he could.

“I’m sorry!I’m sorry I’m sorry I’ll never do it again!Please no!”

“Then stop that noise.Go to your quarters.You’ll stay there in solitary for the next week.”

Hux wiped his eyes.No matter what he tried things only seemed to be getting worse.

“Give me the child, Commandant.”

Hux shrank back as the tall man spoke, “I’ll speak with him.There will be no need to punish him.”

Whoever this man was, his father immediately nodded.His father didn’t let people tell him what to do, but he seemed eager to do whatever this man said.He glowered at Hux as he left, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Hux swallowed, hiccupping as he wiped his eyes.He didn’t know what he did wrong, but his father wanted him to go away with a strange man who frightened him.He wasn’t allowed to run.He felt cornered.An overwhelming urge to find a place to protect himself and fight with all his might.He backed away towards the door, hoping his father would change his mind and come back for him as the man looked him over.

“What is your name?” asked the man.

Hux backed away and took out his fake teeth as discreetly as he could.If the man came any closer, he wanted to be able to use his real teeth.

The man slowly took a step towards him, “Were you given any sort of designation.”

Hux looked down, then back up again, watching as much as he was able, “…Ronan…”

“Will you come here?” asked the man, “Come here and sit with me.”

“No,” said Hux firmly.

The man took several steps closer, “You’re frightened.”

Hux quickly noticed that the man wasn’t asking him if he was afraid.He was saying it, as if he knew.Hux supposed it was obvious, the way he had been shouting and crying.He drew closer against the door, feeling the cold metal on his arm and back.

The man was closer now, leaning down, big enough to completely envelope him.Hux let out a growling noise, wanting the man to step back.He saw a large, thin hand reaching out to him and lashed out, slapping it away with a shout.He closed his eyes and held is hands over his head, as if he might protect himself that way.

Then he felt something he didn’t expect.A hand on his head where his arms couldn’t cover him.He sniffled lightly, not really enjoying being touched but…nobody had touched him in so long…

“Come here, we’ve much to speak about,” said the man.

“No…” Hux said, much more quietly.

“You know you will have to come to me.Come speak and you will be much less frightened,” said the man.

Hux hazarded opening one eye, peeking through to see what was happening.The man was crouched down, almost at the same level as him.A long white hand was stretched out towards him, held openly in invitation so he could take it.He sniffled.He didn’t want to go with the man, he was still scared of him, but his father wasn’t coming, and he was certain that his father wouldn’t let him out until he had done what the tall man wanted.

He took the man’s hand.It was cold and clammy and he could feel the bones underneath the thin skin.The man stood up, leaning down slightly so he could lead Hux away from the door.The man took him back to the observation area beside the pool.He spoke again, and Hux couldn’t help shivering over the fact that the man was still stating things and not asking questions, “You’re in great pain over this decision.You’re shocked.It was your first time to hear about this.”

Hux wiped his nose and nodded.

“Why don’t you want to leave?” asked the man, “Why do you want to stay with a man who hits you?”

“He’s my father…I love him,” said Hux.It seemed like the most natural thing in the world.He was supposed to love his parents.That was how it was supposed to work.

“You don’t want to escape?” asked the man.

Hux paused.He had considered it, maybe running away and looking for his mother instead of staying in this place.He didn’t like what his father did to him but…he was his father.He was bigger and stronger and for good or ill he was Hux’s whole world.

“Escaping frightens you,” noted the man, “You’re still such a young being, too small to make your own way.You won’t be able to escape him until you’ve grown.”

Hux could feel the truth in his words.He was too small to make his father or anyone else listen to him.Too weak.Strong people never seemed to have that problem.Strong people never had to worry about being hit or shouted at.It was always the lower ranking people, the weak ones, who got the worst jobs, the worst food and the worst treatment.If he wanted to be happy and safe, he had to be stronger.

“When you are grown, you will be stronger, I can sense great intelligence as well.Intelligence that would be wasted on a hound meant for hunting and tracking,” said the man, “He doesn’t know how to use you to your full potential.”

The man patted him on the head again, “Wouldn’t you rather come with me?”

Hux shook his head, “You smell strange…”

“I suppose I would.I’m not like anyone you’ve met before,” explained the man.

“I don’t like being touched,” said Hux.He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like it anymore.He looked up at the man, “Please stop…”

The man looked him over, seeming to deliberately take a moment before retracting his hand, as if to show that he was doing Hux a favour.Hux felt as if he could breathe a little easier now that the long bony hand wasn’t on him.The man looked him over, “I can sense great things in you.By the time you come to me, you will have surpassed your father.When you come with me, he won’t harm you anymore.”

“Then…then why can’t I come now?” asked Hux uncertainly.

“You have to become stronger before you can come away,” said the man, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, and in many ways it was.He had to get bigger before he left.That made sense.

“I…I grow different from everyone else,” admitted Hux, “My body gets bigger but I…the Commandant said I’m going to stop growing for a long time, and I won’t be able to make babies until I’m really old.Do you still…?”

“You’re still invaluable,” assured the man.

Hux had never been called that before, and he found he liked it.

“You may go to your quarters now,” said the man.

“The Commandant hasn’t told me I can go…” said Hux sheepishly.

The man waved his hand and the door opened.Hux felt his mouth fall open.He hadn’t pressed the panel or anything.It was just like magic.It frightened him but…he was using that magic for him.He was a dangerous man, but he was on Hux’s side.Maybe he even liked him.He did say he was invaluable.

“You may go.No harm will come to you,” promised the man.

Hux ran towards the door, turning as he stood in the threshold, “I’m sorry I slapped you.”

The man nodded, and as the doors closed again, Hux didn’t feel so bad about going away.It might even be for the best.


End file.
